Hugh Sebag-Montefiore in this stirring and meticulously researched account, narrates the gallantry, grit and gumption of the British Expeditionary Forces ("BEF") in their fierce albeit futile defense of France from rampaging German forces, before a miraculous evacuation back to British shores via Dunkirk. What makes this 75th Anniversary Edition an absolutely must have is the … Continue reading Dunkirk: Fight To The Last Man by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore

Michael Foley is fast becoming a personal favourite. If "The Age of Absurdity" was a pleasant surprise, "Embracing The Ordinary" has been nothing short of a revelation. Inspired by Marcel Proust and James Joyce - terming both the 'high priests of low life' - Foley proceeds to highlight the myriad emotions, opportunities and joys unearthed … Continue reading Embracing the Ordinary: Lessons From the Champions of Everyday Life by Michael Foley

While some autobiographies constitute an exercise in monotonous trumpeting of the self, there are some that traverse the path of introspection. However rare are the ones that lend a clear perspective regarding life itself. Jonathan Trott and George Dobell have successfully written a book, which, although primarily revolves around the game of cricket, transcends the … Continue reading Unguarded: My Autobiography by Jonathan Trott

The author of the best selling "Band of Brothers" and "D-Day" comes up with yet another compelling read with "The Wild Blue". In this book he concentrates on the courageous and costly exploits of the fearless airmen of America who caused havoc amongst the Axis troops from within the cramped, confined and claustrophobic settings of … Continue reading The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany 1944-45 by Stephen E. Ambrose

Andrea Wulf has produced a magic of absolutely dizzying and dazzling proportions with her flawless and riveting biography of the intrepid Alexander Von Humboldt. She has done a yeoman service by breathing life into a man whose existence - although indispensable to the scientific, social and cultural world - has been largely and unfortunately forgotten. … Continue reading The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf

The 81 year old historian and philosopher Theodore Zeldin in a series of conversational essays, tackles head on the vicissitudes and woes faced by mankind during the course of living. This he does in an unconventional manner. Every Chapter in his book "The Hidden Pleasures of Life" begins with a probing and provocative question. Oscillating … Continue reading The Hidden Pleasures of Life: A New Way of Remembering the Past and Imagining the Future by Theodore Zeldin

Theoretical Physics and Quantum Theories do not exactly make for engrossing bed time stories. Or do they? Christophe Galfard's avowed objective in penning this work seems to be to make a complicated, convoluted and challenging subject simple, succinct and serendipitous. And in this task, succeeds significantly. From the time Giordano Bruno was burnt at the … Continue reading The Universe in Your Hand: A Journey Through Space, Time, and Beyond by Christophe Galfard

Global Warming is a threat that is as potent as any other dreadful calamity that can be envisaged as striking Earth in the near future. In spite of agenda backed opposition consisting of a phalanx of optimists who make a living pooh poohing ecologists, environmentalists and activists as naysayers, prophets of doom and inveterate pessimists, … Continue reading Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Warming by McKenzie Funk

In the introduction to his book, Tim Lewens provides a warming assurance to the reader that a knowledge of neither Science nor Philosophy is a pre-requisite for grasping the nuances contained within "The Meaning of Science". However such an assurance is reneged upon in the very first Chapter when the author proceeds to provide a … Continue reading The Meaning of Science by Tim Lewens

With the Allies closing in on the Western Front and the humongous mass of the Red Army making dangerous inroads into the Eastern Front, a delusional Hitler orders a final suicidal gamble ordering a mind numbing counter attacking offensive against the Allies from the Ardennes. Going against both conventional military wisdom and every grain of … Continue reading Ardennes 1944: Hitler’s Last Gamble by Antony Beevor